Angry Birds vs Angry Birds – Windows Phone vs Android

Mobile World Congress always shows us just how the mobile OS’s are performing in the marketplace. We saw for ourselves that the Google Android stand was full of people and the Windows Phone stand was perhaps a little more subdued.

Sure, it goes without saying that Windows Phone is way, way behind Android, but news that new versions of “Angry Birds” might not be heading to Windows Phone has brought some interesting statistics to our attention.

Head to the Windows Phone Marketplace and you will indeed find the original Angry Birds (which lacks the selection of levels available on Android and iPhone) flying high in the charts. It costs ￡2.29 on Windows Phone, which might shock the Android and iPhone gamers who enjoy free Angry Birds action.

The Windows Phone version has been available since May 27th 2011 – almost 10 months. It’s available to try or buy and there’s 1,027 ratings for the app in the UK store. It’s at number 1 in the Marketplace charts, although a lot of the recent comments criticise the lack of levels, lack of updates, lack of versions and the price.

Now. I want to give you a minute to soak up those numbers. The NUMBER 1 GAME on Windows Phone, which is free to try, has just over 1,000 ratings or “reviews” and it’s 10 months old. I’m using the UK store here, but feel free to add the 4,465 comments and reviews in the US Marketplace too if you want. Go on, let’s be cheeky eh? Let’s give Windows Phone a fighting chance and round it up to 5,500 eh?

This brings things into sharp focus for me. We can’t get download figures for Angry Birds on Windows Phone, which I’d rather base things on, but these numbers are more than just worrying.

People have said that Microsoft has a mountain to climb with Windows Phone 7 OS, especially in a marketplace so thoroughly dominated by iOS and Android. Apps aren’t everything – Microsoft is keen to highlight the WP7 speed and ease of use – but apps are VERY important.

Microsoft haven’t stopped climbing that mountain, but based on this particular app, they seem to be climbing that mountain a lot, lot slower than I ever thought.

Update – Apparently a Rovio CEO now states that they are working on a Windows Phone version of Angry Birds Space. More details are available here.